Archive for the ‘Nikon Nikkor 10.5 Reviews’ Category

“It does what it says it does”

This is a fish eye lens. You have to be careful to keep your own toes out of the picture. It focuses close enough that even spots on the lens stand out, so it must be kept spotless. Like other fish eyes, this lens will not accept a filter.

I use this lens for landscapes, portraits, even close-ups. I use it inside airplanes when instructing student pilots. Things to try with this lens:

Close-up of a bouquet or group of flowers.
Landscape framed by palm trees.
Interiors and farmer’s markets.
Fields of flowers.
Virtual reality panoramas.

The Capture and Capture NX software will correct the distortions of this lens. However, if I need something like that I prefer to shoot with a regular wide angle. I use the fish eye because I WANT a fish eye perspective.

“Great Fisheye – best for nikon digital DX”

I bought this for my Nikon D70 and it is an excellent partner to the supplied 28-70mm. I know it is a special application lens but its really versitile. Can be converted to standard wide angle with Nikon Capture software, this works well , but obviously you lose some of the image, not least the funky effect. The comment from the gentleman about it being a tragedy to do this is being a little subjective. For a start, Nikon don’t make another lens this wide for digital, so if you want wider than the 12-24 and not pay $1000 it is a serious option. I would also say after owning it for a few years and getting it stolen, you can rescue some images with this tool as well. Of course if you never want the fisheye effect then buying this makes no sense.

I feel like i am zooming out a mile with this lens and can really capture the scene nicely. Expensive, but a lot of very nicely made glass and you will use it for years. It oozes quality. It is also very sharp – maybe the other guy had a lemon?

Check out the Sigma 8mm fisheye too though as it is a tad wider and the standard for a lot of qtvr work. I will probably buy another of these though as I seriously miss it. If someone offers you one with the serial 300716 call the police or email me.

Update:

So I bought another one after trying all the competition. The Sigma is just miles away from the quality and sharpness of this fisheye. If you are a nikon digital user then it is a no brainer. Also my comments about QTVR are not so accurate, it seems just as many pros use this model. Another thing that is really amazing is the incredibly short focus distance – it is almost like you can use it as a macro (ok not a real macro), up close there are some really amazing effects, and impressive depth of field.

Seriously good.

Seriously good yet about as much fun as you can have with a camera. This is a truly amazing lens that will challenge the way you see and take photos. Despite its 180 degree corner to corner field of view its nearly faultless across the frame by f5.6 or so. Flare is amazingly well controlled – far superior to the 14mm rectilinear Sigma that I own. Chromatic aberration while a problem wide open virtually disappears except at the very edge of the frame when stopped down a little. Its also tack sharp and contrasty with an amazing depth of field.

And in a pinch you can defish the lens and get something with a little less funhouse effect. The hemi plugin for photoshop gives amazing results that uses the entire frame and renders a very natural perspective. PTlens is another useful tool to defish. Its not as natural looking but you have control over other aspects of perspective that you may need as well. With those tools in hand this can be the one ultrawide that gives you everything you might want on a wide scale with a narrow budget

Quality Fisheye

A fantastic lens! I was hesitant to move into the digital realm, because any lens wide enough to still be wide on the DX sensor can be priced in the area of thousands of dollars. As an advanced amatuer, willing to spend money, but not in a position to have an economic return on the investment, anything more expensive then a single paycheck is beyond my means.

But I bit the bullet, and bought the amazing Nikon D70. Lo, and behold, Nikon actually DIDN’T disappoint its customers (like so many other companies which make promises that never come to fruition). The new line-up of DX lenses are amazing.

In my opinion the sexiest of all the new DX Nikkor lenses is the 10.5mm Fisheye (not the most usefull, nor the strongest lens in the series, yet certainly the most interesting, and definitely the least expected). With its 180% field of view, and dramaticly cartoonish effect, I’m sure that many Nikon shooters, myself included will be having alot of fun, and getting alot of laughs at some of the great pictures we’ll be taking with this affordable piece of glass.

Highly recommended.

I do feel the need to add a closing remark to this review. At the time of this writing, two other reviews preceeded my own. Both require a differing amount of disagreement. For the first gentleman who was disappointed by the large amount of pincushining, the question must be asked to him what he thought a fisheye lens was. This is NOT simply a 10.5mm lens. This is a FISHeye lens. Its SUPPOSED to have that effect. His review was negative quite obviously because he didn’t know what he was buying, and giving a piece of equipment a 2/5 rating because you don’t know what your buying is the height of ignorance. I would request that his review would be removed, although I’m sure it wont be, since it wasn’t vulger, or offensive to anyone (its only offensive to people who are offended by ignorance, which apperently I am).

And to the second gentleman, I appriciate your review, it was well thought out, and I’m in no way saying you are ignorant, although I still think your slightly missing the point of the lens. Sure, you can use Nikon Capture to reduce the fisheye effect, but I feel I must as why you would do such a thing. Granted, at that point you could use it as a standard 16mm lens (on a D series camera), but in my opinion this would be a tragedy.

This is THE fisheye lens for all us DX shooters. Don’t regret the fisheye, don’t deny the fisheye, don’t pretend it isn’t a fisheye, EMBRACE the fisheye.

Go out and take pictures which EMPHASIZE the fisheye. Learn how the lens works, how the distortion “feels”. Take ADVANTAGE of the fisheye. If all you use this lens for is a 16mm (35mm equivalent), then your missing the most wonderfull thing about this lens.

Anyone who doesn’t understand the charm of the fisheye, heres a photography tip which wont cost you a cent: find a perch ten, or fifteen feet in the air, have a friend (kids are the best choice), and take a shot STRAIGHT down at them. They’ll be dead center in the picture, they’ll be low on distortion, and you’ll have your ENTIRE backyard in the periphery of the shot.

Sure, you could do that shot with a regular 16mm lens… but… what fun would that be?

Look through the eyes of creativity

I doubt it if anyone would want to use this lens for family photos (unless you want to get a good laugh out of grandma’s smile!) or weddings (pros know better) or even your average wide angle landscape. This lens is for those who see the world in a different way and would like to run with their creative shoes. Those who complain about the huge distortion from this lens should realize the sole purpose of this lens is to give you distorted images! If you want to get super wide angle, go for Nikon’s 12-24 (if you have a grand to part with and a very happy marriage to ruin!) or the equally impressive and half the price 12-24 Tokina. You can even get the sigma 10-20 and be very happy. All these great lenses will give you minimum distortion and ultra-wide images. But if you invest some $600 in a fisheye like this superb Nikon glass, you should be prepared to see the world differently. Once you teach yourself how to bring the best out of this lens, there will be a whole new world for you to explore.